Biofuels Q&A

They can save you money and they're better for the earth, but what are biofuels? Parker's explains everything you need to know...

What are biofuels and how are they different to petrol and diesel?

Petrol and diesel are refined from oil, whereas biofuels are made from refined vegetable oils. It’s a greener alternative to fossil fuels as the CO2 created from burning the fuel is absorbed by the growing plants. It is however controversial – as demand has soared in recent years, it has helped to push up food prices. It is claimed that it will be impossible to produce biofuels to power the amount of cars currently on our roads – there just isn’t enough crop space.

Are there different sorts of biofuels?

Yes. Biodiesel (sometimes known as B20, B30, or B80; an alternative to diesel) and Bioethanol (also know as Flex-Fuel; an alternative to petrol) are the two most common forms. Vehicles that have been designed to do so can run interchangeably between diesel/biodiesel and petrol/E85 Flex Fuel. Many French cars can run from B30 Biodiesel.

How are these fuels produced?

Bioethanol tends to be distilled from grain, sugar cane and wood pulp. Biodiesel tends to be produced from Rape Seed, Soya and Sunflower oil.

I haven’t  seen biofuels around at all – why aren’t they more widely available?

Biofuels are far more common in other parts of the world – particularly in South America and Scandinavia. So called ‘Flex Fuels’ haven’t really taken off in the UK: there are only a handful of models available (most notably from Saab and Ford) and just a handful of filling stations that sell it. Biodiesel availability is better, as some diesel engines can be run from it with no modification at all – though you should check whether your engine can before you fill up with it.

So not all engines can run from biofuels, then?

No they can’t. The car needs to have the right electronics to detect the fuel and adjust the air/fuel content. Some engine components need to be compatible too.

Is there any incentives to buy a Flex Fuel or biodiesel-fuelled car?

None directly – there are no subsidies for instance. But fuel consumption is often better and the fuels can be slightly cheaper to buy.

Can I get my car converted to run from biofuels?

In some cases it is possible, though it is expensive and you’re unlikely to make back the cost of the conversion through savings.

I’ve heard I can just run my engine off vegetable oil. Is this true?

This is reasonably easy to do with older diesel engines and is tempting with vegetable oil around 50p/litre cheaper than diesel. But using it is entirely at your own risk – there’s no guarantee that it will work and it could cause damage to your engine – and to be legal you must pay fuel duty on what you use.